baker



E. K. BAKER.

SEMIWOOD WHEEL. APPL'CATIOII FILED "11.21,. ms.

E. K. BAKER.

semwoon WHEEL. APPLICA'HSN FILED APB-2i. IQIB.

Patented N0". 4, 1919.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERLE KING BAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BAKER WHEEL 4!: RIM COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINC IIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SEMIWOOD WHEEL.

Application filed April 27, 1918.

,with demountable rims and pneumatic tires.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of such wheels ;-to lessen the weight, and especially, the peripheral weight thereof ;-and, to reduce their cost,

all without sacrifice of strength, durability or appearance.

I accomplish these objects chiefly through the elimination of unnecessar parts whether of wood or metal ;for, as will appear hereinafter, I dispense with the customary fell also with the mortisin and tenoning of'fel y and spokes, and wit all folly bolts and clips; all of which I find ob'ectionable on account of the weight which t cy add at the periphery of the wheel, and which represent a large part of the cost of ordinary automobile wheels. 7

In my invention I take advantage of a. condition which is characteristically present in a pneumatic-tiredautomobile wheel, and which does not exist in a wheel that has a metal tire or which has flrSOlld rubber tire. I here speak of the fact that a wheel which is encircled by an inflated pneumatic tire is therein held in a state of suspension, with the result that road shocks and blows are r not directly communicated from the ground to the hub, but instead are distributed with substantial uniformity throughout the periphery of the wheel and hence to the ends of all the spokes. From this I have deduced the conclusion, borne out by experience with wire wheels, that the only real requirement of the peripheral portion and the demountable rim of an automobile wheel is that they shall be capable of holding the pneumatic tire in an inflated state and, while doing so, shall serve as a reliable connection between the base of the tire and the wooden spokes that radiate from the hub.

In conformity with this conception, I have invented an automobile wheel for demountable rifles, which is fully as strong Specification of Batters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

Serial No. 231,228.

as the wheels now in use, which is of less over-all weight, whichis of a minimum peripheral weight, which may be manufactured more rapidly, and at less cost than like wooden w eels of the present type and wherein I retain all of the well-known advantages of wooden spokes, as compared with the metal spokes which have been offered as substitutes; and incidentally, I entirely dispense with the usual hear and expensive felly of rectangular or box ike crosssection.

While not limited to the specific structure therein depicted, my invention will be read- 11y understood on reference to the accompanymg drawi in'which: Figure 1 is a side elevation 0 an automobile wheel embodying my invention, portions being broken away to better disclose the construction;-Fig. 2 1s a section on the line X-X of Fig. 1;--Fig. 3 is an enlar sectional view llustrating the spoke-en fasteni and other details; Fig, 4 is a section on t e line Z-Z of Fi 3;Fig. 5 is a. section on the line V-V 0 Fl 3 ;Fig. 6 is a section on the line W-W 0 Fig. 3;-and, Fig. 7 is a further enlarged sectional detail, on the line YY of F 1g. 3.

' As stated, my invention has to do with demountable rims and the making of wheels suitable for use therewith. Having determined that the ordinary wheel fell whether of wood or of metal is objectiona le on the ground of weight and because of its initial cost and the expense of assembling it with the spokes and the metal folly band ordinarily used, I completel discard such a felly and itsseparate fe ly band or fixed rim, and substitute therefor a lighter and more eflicient metal art which is in themature of a combine felly This part serves as the circumferential seat for the demountable rim; and serves as the part to 'which the spoke-ends are sccured;- and. together with the spoke-ends, serves as the base upon which the rim 'dl amping devices are secured. Preferably, I construct this combined felly band and felly, in such manner that the spokes mav be assembled then-with by a straight sliding motion of the ends of the spokes with respect to this band and telly.

circumferential portion;, whereby I am enablod to use spokes of maximum length, and thcrcwith to expand and circumferentlully tension the metal part, with a degree of ac curacy and tightness never before attainable in wood wheels.

In the drawings the combined felly band and felly, to which I have referred, is marked A ;the pneumatic-tire rim with which it coacts, is marked B;the wheel spokes are ma'n'ked C;the wheel hub is marked D, and its fixed hub flange I) ;and the rim clamping devices (wedge lugs in this case) are marked E. The parts A, B, D arid I" are made of metal: the spokes C are made of wood. The other separate parts. which enter into the structure of the wheel a're thee-lumping bolts, E, and the U-sha ed. clips, F ;--he lo0se flange, D, and the b0 ts, D, are counted as belonging to the hub. It remains only to mention the pneumatic tire G, and its valve stem, G. I rom this brief description it will be plain that my novel wheel is of a most simple construction. The forms and functions of the individual parts, their interreiation, and coaction may now be considered;

Itis t he understood that the straight side neumatic tire, G,and the straight-side iii rim, B, mim m y 'ep s n i q of the'sev'eral kinds of pneumatic, tires and rims new in generalised. At a glance, anyone skilled'in the art' will understand that my wheel fully as well adapted for use wit cle'pohar rims and with clencher tires. Ifurtfioii nbrethe rim whatever itscross section, uih' be of the endless type, with or Wliih0ut if. eta'ohable'side things; or the rim may %\of thcBaker or trans ht type here shown.

a straight side rim, B, erem shown, has integral tire-holding flanges, B, and is of the transplit type, as m 1cat ,ed' at B. Practically every tt'anspl1t r1m in present use is characterized by an inner per phery, B, which is cylindrical, and by a rim-end connector, B, on said inner periphery; and as all such rims are ofthe demountable type,

they are also characterized b an anticreeper or driver, B, of some 1nd, which proJeotS from said inner periphery, B, for co'action with the periphery of the wheel; in this case, with t 1e member A. My novel wheel is made to fit all such rims, the peripheral member, A, of the wheel being formed and apportioned to permit suc rims to be uttoned upon and unbuttoned from the wheel in the same manner as in the case of the metal banded wooden fcllied wheels in common use.

The metal hub, D, ,here shown, with its spaced hub flanges, D and D', and its hub bolts, D, represents any one of the several well known kinds of automobile wheel hubs. The wedge-shaped butts, of the wooden spokes constitute the central or hub-portion of the wooden portion of the wheel, and are bound or clamped rigidly between the tiangcs, l) and D of the rwtci hub, 'lhcre mountable rim, B. As shown, the member of which presents an inc ined or conical circumferential seat, a, which receives the, do

A, is of substantially uniform thickness i cross-section and presents an inner-peri h-' cry, a, that is circumferentially paralle to the outer periphery a. The portion'a, is of less diameter an circumference than the rim, B so that an annular space, ba, is provided between the inner periphery, B', of

the demountable rim and the outer periplrcry, a, of the member, A. The width of the annular spacc,fba, is sullioient to allow the rim, B, to be swung or buttoned onto the wheel in the weliJmown manner and is wide enough to receive the points, .E, of the w lugs, E, which latter rest upon 'the mom 1:, A, and an fport the outer of the rim, B, while c j ping the rim a" mat the back flange, A. Any other forgno rimclampm'g lug may be used so lon series to drive the rim, B, axially use its seat (a) portion oi this member, A;

On a preachin -1t s outer ends spokes, 7, a new spoke formation is encountered, to-wit, the end of each spoke is sub?" as it of ties,

stantmll square in cross-section, presenting essential v, -a flat outer face, 0- and the ext'reme end of the stroke, instead of being of the usual shouldered and tenoncd form, is cut straight across so that it presents a substantially flat end surface, U. The back, C, of each spoke may be flat or -round,,as desired; I prefer that the back shall be substantially flat, and that the sides,- C, shall also be flat as shown in Fig. 7. The intermediate portions of the spokes (between the squn re ends and the wedge-shaped butts) may be square, round or elliptical, as chosen by the wheel-maker. a The Hat or squared end, a, of each spoke engages the inner peri hery, a", of the meinher, A, and the flat ront face, 0', of each spoke engages the radial or front flan portion, a), of the member, A. As will E: understood from the hereinafter contained description of the method which I have devised for assembling the wheel, the ends of the spokes are in firm frictional and pressure contact with the member. A. But I do not rely upon this contact as the uicansof ronncction between the spokes. C. and the member, A, preferring instead to positively bind the parts together by suitable means III) a of the metal clips i'through holes,

66 dii' ectly upon 7 in the "o posits every itself in the wood:

rim, B.

which obviate the ssibility of relative between movement t em. yagious devices may be employed to this endi jBy preferonce I metalhcally bind the end of each wooden spoke against the front flange, 0. as by means of a U-.-haped metal clip, F, which tightly fits the spoke. Each clip is placed close to the end of the spoke. The ends, f, of the clip pass through holes, a, flange, a}, and are there riveted or as shown at f". By those or similar devices, all of the s ke'ends are drawn into firm engagement with the flange, a), 0 her, Ob iously, this construction serves several important en 5: 1st, the thereby correctly alined in a single lane that coincides with the flange, a";-2n8, the spoke-ends are accurately spaced circumferentially of ,the wheel;- 3rd, the spokes and the member, A, are positivel fixed against relative movement in an axia direction;-an 4th, the spokes and the member, A, are so itivel tied gather as to prevent relative ra ial movement between them. In addition the backs serve as stops for he E, as about to be exexpanded heads of the bolts, plained.

For a twelve-spoke wheel, and its demountable rim, such as shown in Fig. 1, I rovide six clam E, placing them ot er spo The bolts, to these clamping lugs, ass (3 (bored in the ends 0 the has), and through holes, a, in the flange, of the lperipheral member, A The head, ho t hooks over and bears upon the respective metal clip, F, as well shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the latter serving to prevent the head of the bolt from burying The outer end, a, of each bolt has a thread and receives the nut, 11., whereby the hi E, is clamped upon the member, A, an against the demountable It will be noted that the flan e, 11, bearing for the fa criun clamping lug. device (comprising the and nut e), when in belonging rovides a proper portion, e, of each case the clamping lug, E, bolt, 6', clamped condition, adds to the security and fixity of, the connection between the spoke and the member, A.

The construction best 3 and 4 is es ecially admirable because it places the ho ts, E, close to the middle peripheral portion of the member, A, and

rovides secure bearings for the bolt and the clamping lug which it carries. Special attention is directed to the fact that in each case the clam ing lug, when in position, constitutes a irect su port or hearing be tween the rim, B, an the member, A, so

illustrated in Figs.

that the inward pressure of the rim, actin hrough the member, A, is imposed the ends of those spokes, C.

lugs, .15,

, increased length of the wooden spokes T he parts, it, are rim-centering and supporting studs, pressed from or formed u on the portion, a, of.,.;tl ie member, A. be height of these projel'tions or studs is a few thousandths of an inch less than the height. 70 of the space, be, between the rim, ant member, A. The studs serve to center the rim, B, upon the wheelduring the act of mounting the rim thereon, and thereafter serve to support the rim at points intermediate the several clamping lugs, E. One of the distinct advantages which flow from the iositioning of the lugs, E, over the ends of t \eir spokes is that it em bles the centering and supporting studs, 11), to be placed so directly over the ends of the intermediate spokes, C. Therefore such road shocks as he studs, a), are called upon to receive, through the rim, B, are transmitted to the ends of their respective s okes. back flange, a, of the mem r, A, is relieved from excessive stresses that it might otherwise sufl'er. One who is skilled in the art will understand that the rim, B, is mounted upon and dcmounted from the described so wheel in the ordinary manner, the driver,

b, at such times, serving as the buttoning on" pivot between the rim and wheel. The studs, It, insure the concentricity of the rim and wheel, 'both before an after the are clamped in place.

I do not follow ordinary methods in assembling or building the herein described, wheel. but have devised a novel and ex-' tremely simple method for that purpose. As a first step, I more or less loosely assemblcthe group of spokes in their proper radial relations. Having thus completed the body of the wheel, I. slide the body, as a whole, axially into the encircling member, A. The circumferentially curved shoulder,

A. obviously facilitates a", of the member,

the entrance of the ends of the spokes; an

lhe front outer corners, C, of the spokes may also be rounded, to that end. The

peripheral member, A, has sufficient strength to resist material radial distortion by the spokes and hence the spokes are to d inward; with the result that the wedge-shaped or mitercd ends of the spokes are set firmly together, and the mdmber, A,

is left in ideally tcnsione condition. Preferably, all of the necessary holes are punched in he member, A, before the spokes are for JQ-(l home and the wheel is completed bv the placing of tho bolts, E, and the clips, i

in the hereinbefore %scril)cd positions.

From the foregoi; 'description it will be clear that in this wheel I have attained the several objects set forth in the opening of this specification. The wheel has many advantages that ma not at once be ap arent but which will e appreciated Ibv t ose who may make and use it. By reasoii of the the Thus the 85 wheel is much more resilient than the common wheel whether having a wooden or a metal felly. The member, A, is of little if any greater weight than the metal felly band 5 of an ordinary wheel of the same size and obviously I have eliminated both the cost and the weight of the felly which has so long been considered an essential part of an automobile wheel. M novel wheel is much stronger than the gr i mry wheel, and is of better appearanfif It is easier to keo clean. It is little if at all afi'ected by ck matic changes for, as is well known, wooden spokes do not materiall change their length when wetted and dried and the contact of wood to wood is eliminated. Furthermore the inherent resilience imparted to the peripheral member, A, in the act of pressing the spokes into place as described, insures constant and tight contact between that member and .the endssof the. spokes even in the absence of-the assisting bolts and clnils. A further advanta' which, may not a reoo gninedat firstsig "ltlfOllOWS the omission of the usual folly, to-witz. the-back flange, a, of my wheehithough firmly supported uponthespoke-onds, is free at pomts between the s okes and therefore-may yield sli htlyto the axial thrust of thedemountab a rim, B. In pence, the rim is permitted toseat itself rmly u on the hack flange throughout itscincum erenee. This is in marked: contrast to the action of the ordinary wheekin which case the rim s rarely found in contact with the back flange at points directly opposite the wedge lugs.

I believe that itwlll be generally a mitted that inthis wheel I have provided the ideal com )lement for the now extensively used sin e-picoe, demountable rim, such as hero in lustrated.

This application is specific to certain subject-matter herein resented. The basic invention is describe and cl imed in my c0- pending application Serial 0. 328,682.

Having thus described n'y invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The im rorement in the art of makin 7. a motor vehicle wheel for use with a shock absorbing tire, that consists in making an endless metal fixed rim of a flanged cross section and of {predetermined circumfcr once suited to a given shock absorbin r tire, making wooden spokes having miterer butts and of a length approximating a radius of said rim and too great to permit the radial assemble of a full minplcnient thereof within'said rim until the mitered butts of the egi spokcs are compressed, then assembling a.

full complement of said spokes with their butts in mutually coiiperative relation in a single spoke lube, and then forcing said complementb' spokes as a unit axially into said rim without changing the spoke plane ting the outer ends and thereby pushin the spokes inward simultaneously and farming the spoke butts into a con'ipressed hub center and also setof the spokes in strong frictional engagement with the inner peripherv of said rim.

2. '1 ie improven'ient in the art of makim a motor vehicle wheel for use with a shock absorbing tire, that consists in making an endless metal fixed rim of a flanged cross section and of a predetermined circumference suited to a given shock absorbing tire, making wooden spokes having mitered butts and a length approximating a. radius of said rim and too great to permit the radial assembly of a full complement thereof within said rim until the mitered butts of the spokes are compressed, then assembling a full complement of said spokes with their butts in mutually cooperative relation in a single spoke plane, then forcin said complement 'of spokes as a unit axis 1;; into said rim without changing the spoke plane and thereby pushing the spokes inward simultaneously and forming the spoke butts into a compressed hub center and also settin the other ends of the spokes in engagement. with the inner said rim, and finally finishing said hub center with a hub hole' that will admit a complementary wheel hub without radial disturbancc of said spokes.

3. The improvement in the art of making a motor vehicle when] for use with a shock absorbing .tire, that; consists in making an endless metal fixed rim of a flanged cross section and of a. predetermined circumference suited to a givenshock absorbing tire, making wooden spokes having mitered butts and of a length approximating a radius of said rim and too great to permit the radial assembly of. a full vcon'lplcment thereof within said rim until the mitered bulls of the s iokes am compressed, then assembling a full complement of said spokes with their butts in mutually coiiperative relation in a single spoke plane, then forcing; said com plemcnt of spokes as a unit axially into said rim without changing the spoke plane and thereby pushing the spokes inward simultaneously and forming: the soke butts into a compressed hub center and also setting the outer ends of the spokes in strong, frictional engagement with the inner periphery of said rim, thereafter positively binding the spokecnds to said metal said bub center with a hub hole that will admit a complcmcn'lary wheel hub without radial disturbance of said spokes.

4. The improvement in the art of making a motor vehicle wheel foiiuse with a shock absorbing tire, that consists in making an. endless metal fixed rim: of a flanged cross section and of a predetermined ci'reumfen cnce suited to a given shock absorbing tire,

periphery of strong frictional 12o rim, and finally finishing s a shoe making wooden spokes having mitred. butts and of a length approximating a radius of said rim' and too rent to permit the radial assembly of a ull complement thereof within said rim until the mitered butts of the spokes are compressed, then assembling a full complement of said spokes with their butts in mutually cod erative rlation in a single spoke plane,

ment of spokes as a unit within said rim without changing the spoke lane and by the utilization of force applie through the rim, ushing the spokes inward simultaneous y and compressing the spoke butts into a hub center portion of greater density than the other part of the spokes and also setting the outer ends of the spokes in strong frictional engagement with the inner periphery of said rim, and thereafter posi tively binding the outer ends of the spokes to said metal rim.

5. The new article of manufacture comprising a motor vehicle wheel for use with a shock absorbing tire and composed of a full complement of radial -wood spokes havin mitered butts in a single spoke plane, said spokes being pressed radially inward and their butts forming a hub center portion of a density exceeding that of the other art of the spokes, in combination with a resi lent metal endless fixed rim, flanged to resist distortion and circumferentially tensioned upon the extreme outer ends of said spokes, and said hub center portion being finished with a hole of a size to admit a complementary metal hub without radial disturbance of said butts.

6. The new article of manufacture comprising a motor vehicle wheel for use with a shock absorbing tire and composed of a full complement of radial wood spokes having mitered butts in a single spoke plane, said spokes bein pressed radially inward and their butts orming a hub center ortion of a density exceeding that of the other part of the spokes, in combination with a resilient metal endlem fixed rim, flanged to resist distortion and circumferem tially tensioned upon and frictionally engaging the extreme outer ends of said spokes, means positively binding the outer ends of the spokes to said rim, and said hub center portion being finished with a hole of a size to admit a complementary metal hub without radial disturbanoe'of said butts.

article of manufacture coma motor vehicle wheel for use with absorbing tire and composed of a full complement of radial wood spokes hav- 7. The new prisi in mite d butts in a single spoke plane, sai d sfik iss being pressed radially inward and their butts forming a hub center portion of a density exceeding that of the other part of the spokes,

in combination with a refixed rim, flanged to resist distortion edging said .compleprising a motor vehicle wheel for and circg ferentially tensioned upon and frictiona lyengaging the extreme outer ends of said spokes, devices individually binding said spoke ends to the flange of said rim, and said hub center portion being finished with a hole of a size to admit a complementary metal hub without radial disturbance of said butts.

8. The new article of manufacture comuse with a shock absorbing'tire and composed of a full complement of radial wood spokes having mitered butts in a single spoke plane said spokes bein pressed radially inward and their butts owning a hub center portion of a density exceeding that of the other part of the spokes, in combination with a resilientmetal endless fixed rim, having an inwardly projecting flange and an outwardly projecting flange and circumferentially tensioned upon'and frictionally engaging the extreme outer ends of said spokes, devices individually binding said spokes to said inwardly projecting flange, and said hub center portion being finished with a hole of a size to admit a complementary metal hub without radial disturbance of said butts.

9. The new article of manufacture cr mprising a motor vehicle wheel for use with a shock absorbing tire and composed of a full complement of radial wood spokes havin initered butts in a single spoke plague, said spokes bein pressed radially inward and their butts orming a hub center portion of a density exceeding that of the other parts of the spokes, in combination with a resilient metal endless fixed rim ha 'ing an inwardly projecting flange and an outwardly projecting flange and circumferentially tensioned upon and frictionally engaging the extreme outer ends of said spokes. means binding said SPOi-LGS to said inwardly rejecting flange, devices positioned at t is ends of some of the spokes for coaction with said outwardly projecting flange to secure a demountable rim on said fixed rim, and said hub center portion being finished with a hole .'of a size to admit a complementar metal hub without radial disturbance 0 said butts.

10. The new article of manufacture comprising a motor vehicle wheel for use-with a shock absorbing tire and composedpf a full complement of radial wood spokes having mitered butts in a single spoke plane, said spokes bein pressed radially inward and their butts orming a huh center portion of a density exceeding that of the other part of the spokes -in combination with a resilient met'al endlessofixed rim having inward and outward flanges to resist. distortion and circumferentially tensioned upon and frictionally engaging the extreme outer ends of said spokes, means positioned i5 and their upon the outer periphery of said fixed rim directly over respeot've spokes and adapted to coact with fllkggw to secure a. demountable mm on sai 6 fix im,jand said hub center fipighedwith n, 110175 of a size to admit a qm m my 11'.- The new ltrticle of manufacture com- 10 prisin a motor vehiclewheel for use with a. shoci absorbing time and uI l complement of radial wood spokes havniitored butts in asingle spoke plane said spokes bein pl'qssed radially inwar butts ormin a hub center porexceeding that ofthe other :tionof n. clensaty iii outwardly projectin 1 said s partof the spokes, in combination with a projecting flange enti'ally cylindrical with and sea the en jecti ng her size without radial distur whereof, I hm In testimony set my hand this endless tensioned portion friction ling the extreme kcs, devices individ s of the spo flange of the rim, and finished with a hole to admit a cmlTlementary meta] hub name of said butts.

c hcreun portion being y port:

kcs to said 23rd day of ERLE KIN fixed rim presentin 'on and an inwardly said rim being circumferupon said spokes with its ally enga ed outer ends of unlly binding inwardly pm cenof a said huh April, 1918 G BAKER 

